Attack of the Cybermen offers a bold
and ambitious start to
Colin Baker's first full season
as The 6th Doctor. With some great locations, acting and nods to the
shows past, the serial is a generally enjoyable 88 minutes.
There are, however, a few let-downs, which prevented
the story from reaching its full potential.
The role of the Cyber Controller didn't really work, as
David
Banks' Cyber Leader had already been established within the
story, and is more than a powerful enough adversary for The Doctor to
face off with.
The musical score for the story, has to be one of the worst in the shows
entire history, and ends up sounding both messy and terribly dated. That
being said, the brief theme for The Cryons had great potential and was
sadly underused.
The script also had its fair share of pitfalls, with most of the meatier
dialogue given to
Maurice Colbourne, who, to be fair,
was instrumental in most of the areas that this story succeeds in.
The DVD release is packed with some top quality features that not only
compliment, but help to mend the way for those who may feel a little
short-changed by the serial itself.
'
The Cold War' looks at the making of
Attack of
the Cybermen, and features interviews with Actors;
Colin Baker (The Doctor),
Nicola Bryant (Peri),
Terry Molloy (Russell) and
Sarah Berger
(Rost), Writer;
Eric Saward, Director;
Matthew Robinson, Continuity Advisor;
Ian Levine,
and Film Cameraman;
Godfrey Johnson.
It proves to be an insightful breakdown of the genesis of the story, and
may even surprise some fans when the authorship of the story comes into
discussion.
'
The Cyber Story' blasts off with an awesome CGI
introductory title sequence, and offers an in-depth look at the genesis
of the Cybermen, and how there is a basis of plausibility behind their
concept. Featuring interviews with Director;
Morris Barry,
Writer;
Eric Saward, Designers;
Sandra Reid
and
Dinah Collins, Cybermen Actor;
Mark Hardy,
Cybermen Voice Artist;
Roy Skelton and Professor
Kevin Warwick.
'
Human Cyborg' features an extended version of the
interview with
Kevin Warwick (Professor of Cybernetics
at Reading University), from the previous feature, who, as well as being
a self-proclaimed Doctor Who fan, is heralded as the worlds first Human
Cyborg.
The feature looks at the possibility of whether Cybermen could exist, as
Kevin unveils some of his experiments, beliefs and ideas. This is a DVD
extra that is bound to capture the minds of all fans of The Cybermen, as
well as educating with surprising clarity.
'
The Cyber-Generations' is a pictorial guide to the
different types of Cybermen throughout the years, displayed in
chronological order. With photos from lost stories that some fans will
never have seen before, it is great to have such a concise guide to one
of The
Doctors greatest villains. (The title
sequence isn't quite as mind-blowing as
'The
Cyber Story', however).
The '
Coming Soon' Trailer is for the forthcoming
Image of the Fendahl DVD release. As with the other
trailers, it fails to disappoint, with tight scene cutting and an
energetic music track that work well together.
The '
Audio Commentary' features
Colin Baker
(The Doctor),
Nicola Bryant (Peri) and
Terry Molloy (Russell) for Part One, with
Sarah Berger
(Rost) replacing
Terry Molloy for Part Two.
Colin in particular, provides a thoroughly entertaining narrative,
thanks to his knowledge of the show, coupled with some choice one-liners
- he also directs the conversation perfectly. Colin and Nicola's
on-screen chemistry, carries itself off-screen for this commentary, as
the pair share both affection and memories which are a genuine joy to
hear.
As with previous DVD releases, the usual
Photo Gallery,
Info Text,
Trails & Continuity and
Radio
Times Listings are included. There's also a Dalek
related
Easter Egg hidden somewhere within the menu
system.
Although this release may not house the best example of Classic Who, the
features are representative of some of the best examples of the
impressive quality and effort that goes into the Doctor Who DVD range.

